OPINION: Pickering nuclear refurbishment will help meet energy demands | Maqvi News

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For over five decades, Pickering has been the site of Canada’s first large scale nuclear facility. As a former mayor and councillor for close to 30 of those years, I have seen the benefits of being the host community of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (PNGS) operated by Ontario Power Generation.

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I was proud to attend and excited by the announcement to invest in the refurbishment of PNGS. Secure in the success of the Darlington Station refurbishment, the Pickering refurbishment will meet the increasing demand for electric power, create thousands of new jobs, protect 4,500 current jobs, add $19 billion in GDP across the province and support the 240 supply chain companies across Canada.

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Our Canadian reactors produce clean, safe and reliable energy that power this province; half a century without incident, reliable; 24/7, emissions free electricity. The three nuclear plants in Ontario provide 54% of the provincial base load. Pickering and Darlington, the two nuclear stations in Durham Region, provide 35% of Ontario’s total electricity while generating about 6,500 direct Durham-based jobs, a robust supply chain and indirect jobs across the province.

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Jobs in the nuclear industry are highly skilled, high-paying, long-lasting and sustainable. They have a very high economic value due to their high job creation multiplier. A recent study of the Korean nuclear sector found that for every direct nuclear sector job created, 1.25 indirect jobs and 0.93 induced jobs resulting in a multiplier of 3.18.

The Nuclear Energy supply chain has a significant impact on the Canadian Economy, employing 76,000 people across the country and contributing $17 billion annually to our GDP. There are 40 supply chain companies in the Durham Region.

Ontario’s investment in nuclear energy is an investment in Canada’s role in the global nuclear market. Canada is a world leader in nuclear technology. Our CANDU reactors have been sold to India, Pakistan, Argentina, South Korea, Romania, and China. Investments in refurbishment and new build demonstrate confidence in existing and emerging Canadian technologies.

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The value of clean, emissions-free nuclear power continues to be recognized locally, nationally and globally. Nuclear has been included in the European green bond standard (EUGBs), the first standard in the world which offers environmentally sustainable bonds that are made available to investors globally.

The Pickering Nuclear Generating Station has been producing Cobalt 60, a medical isotope used to sterilize approximately 40% of the world’s single use medical devices and reduce harmful pathogens in a variety of food and consumer products. Approximately 50% of the world’s Cobalt 60 is produced in Ontario and the medical isotope industry creates 8,500 jobs.

And so, I am encouraged by the province’s investment in the refurbishment of PNGS alongside its commitment to wind, solar and hydro, while also recognizing nuclear power is about more than energy.

The world is in a climate crisis and there is no silver bullet, no single solution.

The way forward demands a personal, industrial, and governmental commitment to a reduction in energy consumption, a focus on energy efficiency and a climate-responsible approach to energy production.

— Dave Ryan is a Principal with Aurora Strategy Global and the former mayor of Pickering.

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